Combination toy chest, cradle, and bed



Feb. 24, 1925. 1,527,793

( J,J.FROEUCH COMBINATION TOY CHEST, CRADLE AND BED Original Filed Nov. 17, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 'I I 275.550]: zZ'Frasjicfi Feb. 24, 1925. 1,527,793

7 J. J. FROELICH COMBINATION TOY CHEST, CRADLE, AND BED Original Filed-Nov. 17, 1922 2 Sheets-Sh t 3 27557]: J F 110512;]L.

Patented Feb. E l,

PATENT @FFFCE.

JOSEPH J'. FROELICH, OF SOUTH KAUKAUNA, WISCONSIN.

COMBINATION TOY CHEST, CRADLE, AND BED.

Application filed November 17, 1922, Serial No. 601,513, Renewed January 2, 1925.

To all? whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrrr J. Fnonnroirr, a citizen of the United States, and resident of South Kaukauna, in the county of Outagamic and State of i i isconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Toy Chests, Cradles, and Beds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The invention relates to a combination toy chest, cradle and bed.

It is the primary object of the invention to 'providea toy structure which will serve as a chest, a box-like portion being provided, and a cover therefor adapted to lit into the box and serve as a closure for the chest. cover may beremoved and slid into grooves in the ends of the box-like structure, a pair of rockers being secured to the cover for supporting the box-like structure so that the device may be used as a cradle. Flaps are pivotally supported within the box-like structureand may be swung upwardly on the removal of the cover. The device may be used as a bed, in which case the cover and rockers may be dispensed with.

An object of the invention is the provision of a structure whereby the change from chest to cradle or to bed may be effected very conveniently. The cover is merely lifted up and the flaps may then be swung upwardly to form the bed. To form the cradle, the cover is merely slipped into a position beneath the bed so that the change may be effected in a moment of time.

An object of the invention is the provision of a structure of special simplicity, it being made of butfew parts, and of durability, the toy being adapted to withstand considerable stress.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constru t d awa t he be t nab ea in The devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device when used as a chest, one of the sides being broken away to show the interior structure.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the parts when the device is used as a cradle.

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective showing the arrangement of parts when the device is used as a chest.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the device as a cradle, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the device as a bed.

A box-like structure is provided having a pair of elongated sides 10 and a pair of ends 11. The ends are provided with trans verse slots receiving the bottom 12, which underlies the sides and extends therebetween. The sides are mortised to the ends, both sides and ends being provided with a plurality of spaced tenons 13 having an interlapping relationship. The upper edges of the ends are cut away inwardly to form shoulders 14, and flaps 15l5 are pivotally secured to the sides by means of nails 16 directed through the sides into the flaps. The flaps are rounded cylindrically adjacent their pivotal point so as to permit free pivotal movement, there being no frictional resistance to movement offered by the bottom 12 which is immediately below pivotal points. Flap 15 is somewhat more elongated than flap 15, so that when the device is used as a bed or cradle, flap 15 may be used as a head and flap 15 may serve as a foot.

Each of the flaps is provided with a transverse slot 17 adapted to rest on shoulder 14; of the end. The flaps may be swung downwardly and will then he snugly along the bottom, as shown in Figure 1. This will give the resulting box-like receptacle a maximum capacity, the flaps not interfer ing in any way with the storing of articles within the receptacle, which may then be used as a chest. A cover 18 is provided for this purpose, the ends of the cover resting upon shoulders 14. Longitudinal movement of the cover is prevented by reason of the fitting thereof in the notches formed in the ends 11.

Transverse displacement of the cover is also prevented by a pair of similar rockers 19, each of which is secured directly to the under face of the cover being spaced inwardly from the end thereof so that when the device is used as a chest, the rockers lie snugly along the ends 11. Thus they do not in any manner decrease the capacity or the chest nor interfere with the storing of articles therein, but the cover may be readily and conveniently positioned, and when so positioned, is retained in place.

lVlien it is desired to convert the chest into a bed, the cover is removed and flaps 15-15 are swung upwardly into the position shown in Figure 5. This change may be effected quickly and conveniently, as the cover may be withdrawn by the mere moving upwardly thereof. The bed may be converted into a cradle by sliding the ends of the cover into transverse slots 20 in ends 11, the slots 20 being spaced slightly below bottom 12. As rockers 19 are spaced inwardly slightly from the ends of the cover, they do not interfere with the positioning of the cover in slots 20 so that the cover may be placed in this position quickly and conveniently. The rockers 19 are solid and adapted to withstand considerable pressure, the formation of the ends 11, which are mortised into sides 13, being strong and durable. The device is simple in construction, made of few parts, and easy to manufacture. It may be made of any desirable material, basswood being suitable, and the simple out-lines facilitate the dipping of parts into paint.

I claim 1. The combination of a b0x-like receptacle having sides, ends, and a bottom, and an open top and cover for said open top having a pair of rockers secured to the under side thereof and spaced inwardly from the ends of said cover.

2. The combination of a box-like receptacle comprising sides, ends, and a bottom, and an open top, and a cover for said top, said ends being cut away to form a. shoulder adjacent their upper edge adapted to support the ends of said cover, and a pair of rockers on said cover spaced inwardly from the end edges thereof.

3. The combination of a box-like receptacle comprising sides, ends and abottom, each of said ends having a transverse slot therein, and a cover having a pair of rockers secured to the under side thereof, each of said rockers being spaced inwardly from the end edges of said cover, the ends of said cover being slidable in said transverse slots.

In testimony that I claim the fore oing I have hereunto set my hand at South Tiaukauna, in the county of Outagamie and State of \Visconsin.

JOS. J. FROELICH. 

